Dare to be different.
It sounds like a motivational poster slogan, but it's become one of the most important principles in my life and business.
The Pressure to Conform
From an early age, we're taught to fit in. Don't stand out too much. Don't be too loud, too quiet, too ambitious, too different. Follow the path that others have followed. Do what's expected.
This pressure intensifies in business. Look at what successful people are doing and copy it. Follow the proven playbook. Don't reinvent the wheel.
There's wisdom in learning from others. But there's also danger in losing yourself in the process.
The Cost of Conformity
When you try to be like everyone else, you become forgettable. You blend into the noise. You compete on the same dimensions as everyone else, which usually means competing on price or volume.
But worse than being forgettable to others is being forgettable to yourself. When you suppress what makes you unique, you lose touch with your authentic self. You build a life or business that doesn't actually fit who you are.
I've made this mistake. I've tried to be the kind of entrepreneur I thought I was supposed to be—serious, corporate, conventional. It didn't work. It felt wrong. And it wasn't sustainable.
The Power of Difference
The most impactful people I know are unapologetically themselves. They've found what makes them unique and they've leaned into it, not away from it.
Their difference is their brand. Their quirks are their superpowers. Their unconventional approaches are what set them apart.
Think about the people who have influenced you most. Were they conventional? Probably not. They probably stood out in some way—their perspective, their style, their approach.
Finding Your Difference
So what makes you different? Here are some questions to explore:
What do you believe that most people don't? Your contrarian views might be your most valuable asset.
What comes naturally to you that others struggle with? Your effortless skills are often invisible to you but obvious to others.
What would you do even if you weren't paid? Your passions reveal your authentic interests.
What criticism have you received repeatedly? Sometimes our "flaws" are actually our features.
The Courage Required
Being different requires courage. You'll face criticism. You'll face doubt—from others and from yourself. You'll wonder if you should just fall in line.
But here's what I've learned: the discomfort of being different is temporary. The regret of conformity is permanent.
Every time I've had the courage to be authentically myself—in my content, my business, my relationships—good things have followed. Not always immediately. Not always in the ways I expected. But consistently.
The Invitation
I'm not suggesting you be different for the sake of being different. That's just another form of performance.
I'm suggesting you be authentically yourself, even when—especially when—that self doesn't fit the mold.
The world doesn't need another copy. It needs the original version of you.
Dare to be different. The world is waiting for what only you can offer.
